Five football players who rose to social media stardom at the World Cup

What the report says

Al Jazeera reported that several footballers at the 2026 World Cup have turned strong performances and accessible online personas into major social media growth during the six-week tournament. The article, published July 18, highlighted how players have used platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat to share dressing-room moments, training glimpses and family scenes, helping some gain millions of new followers while the competition unfolds.

Norway striker Erling Haaland was presented as one of the clearest examples. Al Jazeera said the 25-year-old’s informal and humorous posting style helped lift his Instagram audience past 70 million, with analytics firm Social Blade cited as showing 29 million new followers in the previous 30 days. Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha also drew attention after standout saves, including in a 0-0 opening draw against Spain. His following reportedly jumped from about 500,000 to nearly five million within hours and later reached 29.3 million.

The report also cited England midfielder Jude Bellingham, whose account stood at about 50 million followers after gains linked to his World Cup run and earlier public discussion of mental health. Spain’s Lamine Yamal, 19, was described as nearing 49.6 million followers ahead of Spain’s final against Lionel Messi’s Argentina, with attention also falling on his younger brother Keyne and a resurfaced 2007 UNICEF photo involving Messi and Yamal.

New Zealand defender Tim Payne rounded out the list after a pre-tournament viral campaign by Argentinian influencer Valen Scarsini. Al Jazeera said Payne’s Instagram audience rose from under 5,000 to about 5.8 million, making him an unlikely online star and underscoring how World Cup visibility can reshape a player’s public profile beyond the pitch.